


Things that Matter

by mountain_ash



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, Communication Failure, Feelings, Fluff, One Shot, Post Season 5
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-13
Updated: 2015-09-13
Packaged: 2018-04-20 14:46:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4791269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mountain_ash/pseuds/mountain_ash
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on a tumblr post "I wasn’t ready to let you go…"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Things that Matter

Stiles had been sure he was going to go to college right after high school but after everything that had happened the past year and a half, he just couldn't stomach the idea of going to school with regular people who had no chance of understanding him. Instead he worked his butt off at two jobs after graduating and saved enough to buy himself tickets to France where Isaac had agreed to let him stay with him for the fall. He wasn't sure what he intended to accomplish there, but he knew that Isaac had left the pack after he had lost too much of himself, and Stiles hoped whatever he had found there that had helped him could help Stiles too. 

His father hadn't been pleased by the idea at first, but he’d given in eventually. He hadn't missed how much his son had slipped away from him the past year and if Stiles was taking some initiative to heal himself, he wasn't going to stop him. When it came time for him to leave near the end of September, Stiles had packed and unpacked so many times trying to get his choices just right. Trying to only bring things that didn’t remind him of all the bad stuff that had happened was almost impossible and he knew that he would get to France and find he had slipped up, but he couldn’t do any more about that. He was at security and his father was waving him along. 

The flight was long and uneventful. Stiles tuned in and out of the movies played, ate his bad plane food, and tried not to fall asleep. Nightmares on the plane were the last thing he needed. When he finally tripped himself through customs and over to baggage claim to meet Isaac, the werewolf practically had to hold him up. 

“Dude, how are you? Did you not sleep at all?” Isaac had never been one for big displays of affection.

“Hey, Isaac. Nah, nope, nada. Couldn’t risk the nightmares.” Isaac knew basically everything about his situation. He figured if the dude was willing to take him in for a few months practically rent free, he should know what he was taking on. The werewolf simply clasped his shoulder understandingly before lifting his suitcase with ease and steering him towards a taxi. 

Isaac’s place was simple and small, two bedrooms a kitchen, living area and bathroom. It was still technically Chris’s apartment, but Isaac lived there alone most of the time while he studied at Aix-Marseille University. Chris payed for the apartment and Isaac used his father’s life insurance to pay tuition, which was mostly the reason Stiles didn’t feel too guilty staying for free. Isaac had just made him promise he’d do the chores, which Stiles was plenty used to anyway. 

He settled in pretty easily, unpacking his scant belongings into the spaces Chris had left for him. Isaac tried giving him his space, but it wasn’t one of his stronger suits and he was soon asking Stiles questions about everything. 

How’s the Sheriff? He and Melissa get together finally? Scott make it into vet school? Lydia going to be kicking ass at MIT? Did Malia graduate? 

Stiles answered them all as patiently as he could. Hasn’t had a heart-attack yet. Finally, yes. Yes. Cal-Tech actually. No. 

He felt a little guilty that the pack hadn’t kept Isaac better informed, but they had all just assumed he wanted his space and would ask when it was time. It registered in Stiles’s mind that Isaac hadn’t asked about Derek, but he brushed the thought off. He didn’t want to think about that right now. 

He got the best night’s sleep he had had in awhile that night. Maybe simply leaving Beacon Hills had been all it took for Isaac to start healing. Maybe he wasn’t actually doing anything special. 

The next day he was given the grand tour of the city and college campus. By the end of the day, Stiles could picture himself going to school here. That was if he actually knew French, anyway. The food was amazing, the architecture was beautiful, and the conversation never once threatened to drift to anything supernatural. He knew he would eventually have to confront it, but he wasn’t expecting it to come so soon. 

“So we’re going to meet some people for dinner. I hope you don’t mind.” Isaac looked uncomfortable, and Stiles knew he was definitely not getting the whole story, but he agreed. 

The evening was getting chilly, so they went back to change into something warmer. Stiles was just pulling his shoes on when Isaac stopped in his doorway and sniffed aggressively, before his eyes settled on Stiles chest. “That’s Derek’s sweater.” A smug expression twisted over his features, and Stiles’s heart froze. He knew he was gonna mess something up. “It’s fine. I get it.” Isaac added hurriedly when he saw the look of horror creeping over Stiles’s face. 

The walk to the restaurant was painfully uncomfortable, despite Isaac trying to lighten the mood. Stiles was mortified at having been caught with Derek’s sweater and not even realizing he had put it on. He was trying to figure out what Isaac’s expression had been when he’d seen it, but he couldn’t. 

Stiles was shaken from his thoughts by Isaac telling the host the reservation name. “Lahey, reservation for five.” They were the last to arrive apparently, and as they were led to their table Stiles felt something inexplicable creep under his skin that made him shiver. 

As they reached the table and Stiles looked up, his eyes were met with an intense pale green gaze. They stare at each other for what was probably only a few moments, but Stiles felt like the restaurant disappeared in that time. A million warring emotions surged beneath his skin, and he was sure he probably smelled like an utter mess to Derek, Isaac, and the other two likely-werewolves sitting at the table. 

Suddenly Derek stood bolt upright and said his name softly, as if saying it louder would be too harsh for tension between them. “Stiles.”

It was still too loud. Stiles broke out his revery and his mind felt like it had snapped. “I can’t deal with this.” And he walked right back out the restaurant. 

Derek watched after Stiles helplessly and Isaac looked positively baffled. “That isn’t what I expected at all. Dude you have to talk to him. We’ll just order some appetizers so the waiter doesn’t hate us.” Derek looked fleetingly down at Isaac as though trying to decide if he was really talking to him and then he stiffly jogged after Stiles. 

He saw him walking quickly down the street, tripping gracelessly over cobblestones. 

“Stiles wait!” Derek’s voice was a lot more hoarse than he expected. Isaac had told him Stiles would be there and told him he was keeping Derek a surprise, but Derek hadn’t been prepared to actually see the kid. To see how run down he looked. To see how hurt he looked. To smell how confused he was. He had smelled like bitterness, and anger, and relief, and sadness, and want all at the same time and Derek wasn’t sure how to process it all. Especially the last one. He had come to terms with wanting Stiles ever since Isaac had told him he was coming to stay for a few months, but he was not ready to address even the most fleeting possibility it could be reciprocated. 

Stiles did not stop, even though Derek heard his heart jump when he heard his name and he was forced to speed up to catch him. He finally got to him two more blocks down and he reached out and caught his wrist. Stiles didn’t fight him, but his pulse jumped at the contact and his honey-colored eyes were utterly lost as they looked anywhere but Derek. 

“What’s the matter, Stiles? What did I do?” 

The young man flinched in surprise at the hurt in the werewolf’s voice. “You weren’t supposed to be here. No one’s supposed to be here, but especially you.”

Derek’s stomach twisted in guilt. He had no idea his departure would hurt Stiles so much. “You-you don’t have to see me. I’ll stay away.” He let Stiles’s wrist drop and watched as his eyes trailed down to the spot of lost contact. That’s when he realized what Stiles was wearing and he took in a short, harsh breath. “That’s my sweater.” 

His voice was so quiet Stiles almost missed it, but not quite. His face became splotchy with embarrassment and his eyes suddenly started stinging and he gripped the slightly too long sleeves tightly. “I wasn’t ready to let you go…”

Derek felt his heart swell both in pain and fondness as he watched Stiles try to bite back his tears. He’d never been good at keeping his feelings inside like Derek was. “I didn’t know I meant so much. I wouldn’t have left if…” He trailed off, not knowing how he was supposed to finish the sentence. If what? If he’d known Stiles liked him? If he’d known he needed him? He reached up and brushed away a tear that was starting to fall with his thumb. “If I’d known I’d mattered.” He decided upon.

Stiles eyes met his suddenly, looking hard and bewildered all at once. “How could you not know? I held you up in a pool for two hours. You were the king on my chessboard. I turned around three times after you told me go save Scott even though you were dying.” Stiles had grabbed the hem of Derek’s shirt in his tight grasp without realizing it and Derek couldn’t stop himself from leaning in and wrapping him in as tight a hug as he could risk giving. “You matter okay. You matter too much. And I thought you were gone and I had to make you not matter anymore.” Stiles breath was hot against his ear and Derek shivered even though he wasn’t cold. 

He pulled away as Stiles started to calm down. “I don’t know what to do now.” Derek looked over Stiles’s face searchingly.

Stiles took in a shaky breath, gathering himself, before releasing a small smile. “You sure as hell aren’t staying away while I’m here.”

Derek leaned forward and pressed a firm kiss to Stiles’s forehead. “I’ll stay wherever you want me.”

**Author's Note:**

> Comments always appreciated and come visit me on [tumblr](http://a-mountain-ash.tumblr.com/)!


End file.
